At TH a nice low tide and good light gave the option of approaching feeding Sanderlings for some pictures and in so doing found the blue ringed and yellow flagged bird from previous years. See here for info on Leg flags and nest success Luckily, not having other wader species in attendance meant that they were quite approachable and intent on feeding on small crustacea. Earlier, six distant duck went west which IC confirmed as Eider; he also pointed out the female Common Scoter typically well to the west and a brief fly-by Clouded Yellow.
Single Ruff and a few Snipe plus a roadside Dartford Warbler with two Stonechats were 'the best of the west' whilst the east side only produced this close Snipe, a Green Sandpiper and a Marsh Harrier. Common Darters were still very evident plus a few Red Admirals and Eristalis tenax.
Caught up with John and Sally doing a recce for their up and coming visit in two weeks time.
Later at Farlington, the much lower tide and increased lake levels meant it was a good deal quieter than two days ago with the area the Jack Snipe were feeding in now flooded. A couple of invisible Lesser Redpolls bounded over, singles of Spot 'shank and Greenshank flew into the lake as the tide rose and about twenty Avocets were present. Again the c/c Marsh Harrier quartered the reeds and just one distant Short-eared Owl plus a few owl togs, including LF, who didn't quite get the showing of earlier in the week.
